Peter's Denial — Bible — Andrew Forrest

John 13:36-38

36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.

Jesus has said in v. 33:

Where I am going you cannot come.

And so, here, Simon Peter asks a follow-up question:

36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward” [John 13:36].

In the epilogue to John’s Gospel, Jesus will predict that Peter is going to be crucified, as He does here. Peter seems to understand that Jesus is referring to His death and so Peter makes the bold claim that he would die for Jesus.

Jesus gently corrects him and tells him that rather than dying for Him he will end up denying Him, and even that very night.

38b Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times [John 13:38b].

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
As we shall see, before the resurrection, the disciples are fearful, but after they meet the risen Lord, they are fearless, even though following Jesus will cost them their lives. Peter is only able to truly follow Jesus after the resurrection.